With the sun, the village rose. One by one, villagers stumbled out of their shacks, houses, and homes. Daggat sat in a tree, watching the light slowly reveal the human settlement. It was built on a slight slope in a large clearing. Daggat couldn't tell whether the humans had found the clearing or carved it from the forest.

What he first mistook as an entirely enclosed village revealed itself to be sprawling. Shacks bled from the gates. A few homes dotted the field, each with gardens, crops, and livestock. On the far side of the village was a clear stream, almost a river in the spring thaw, that was marked by several simple bridges.

It reminded Daggat of his own home. The walled manor with a few purpose-built buildings around it. Though this place, admittedly, was more serene. It was as though the humans had carved themselves a habitat out of the surrounding wilderness.

By chance, the side they approached was sparse in outlying homes. A common field. Patches of the land were being grazed on by lazy-looking sheep. Some had clear evidence of being farmland, now resting fallow. A small hill near the village had an ancient, twisted tree. Not the elder trees that dominated the skyscape, but a smaller variety. Like a hunched-over, wizened man. Daggat could tell that it was a place for social rituals. Speeches, weddings, and the like, just from the worn-away grass near it.

Within the village's palisades were more permanent houses, rather than the shacks or huts that made up most of the village. These houses were secluded and orderly. Like a private gathering of gossipers huddled away from the masses. Around them, smaller homes mimicked their design. It was like a rash that was slowly consuming its host. It mirrored the divide in the village people. Comfortable, secluded folk surrounded by more practical, basic folk.

Not to say the shacks and huts were primitive or crude. They were simple, old, and lived-in. Decorated with drying vegetables and totems. The kind of home that grows character over generations of little repairs. One large home caught Daggat's eye. It was built of sturdy logs and was entirely different from the designs of the other homes. Stout and robust with large runes chiseled into the walls.

The eclectic beauty of the village was a stark contrast to its people. They were skittering out of their homes. Each glancing towards Daggat's camp with nervous body language. They avoided one another, quickly doing the morning tasks, rather than lingering in each other's presence. Even from here, Daggat could feel the tension. The threat of goblin attacks, his unexpected appearance, and other local troubles.

Daggat breathed it all in like the scent of a flower. Like the simple cooking pots he used to practice alchemy, this was a prime place to learn. He would poke and prod at civilization itself. See where it was ticklish and find its weak points. Get a good mental grasp on how the whole process worked, so he could use it for himself. Just as he had done with alchemy, the system, and even his party members and friends.

Two figures started the short hike towards their camp. It wasn't a long walk. Five minutes, based on Daggat's ear. Remembering the potion he used, he double-checked his stock. A few poisons, bombs, gremlin potions, and regeneration potions. In the bombs, he had stuck a piece of cloth to the lids. In theory, he should be able to light and throw.

"She's coming," Daggat said. Anath stirred from the branches above him. She, too, was watching the village.

Daggat dropped from the tree, followed a moment later by Anath. He had already explained to the others what they should do in case they were attacked.

Lisa and her companion stopped just a few yards from him and crossed their arms. The human girl had a strong build. Her arms were as thick as hunters. Her blond hair was braided to one side. Like Leofric, she had a tattoo of a flower. Rather than on her face, however, it was displayed proudly on her bare left shoulder. Its stem wrapped its way down her arm.

Her companion was a short, stout man. A dwarf. Not the same one as before, but he had similar coppery hair and a beard braided in the same style as Lisa's. Daggat couldn't tell how old he was, but he seemed young. Rather than his companions' monster furs, he wore simple clothes and a cloak.

"Morning." Daggat yawned. "Who's your friend?"

"Who is YOURS?" Lisa asked in return. She studied Anath the same way a wolf would study a lone deer.

Daggat looked at the nervous Anath, then nudged her forward with a flick of his head.

"I'm… Anath." She whispered.

"Okay… now WHAT are you? Never seen your kind of monster." Lisa spoke with the bravado of someone showing off.

"I'm not-" Anath snapped, but Daggat stepped in front of her smoothly.

"She's human, with extra bits tacked on. Don't worry about it." Daggat turned to the dwarf. "You are a dwarf, right?"

"I am." The dwarf said. "Pote is my name. I am here to observe, don't mind me."

Lisa grinned at him. "He's MY backup. So, you two ready to kill?"

"We are," Daggat said. "What are we hunting?"

"An otsorieus that I've been keeping an eye on. I call him Otto."

Daggat nodded as if he had any idea what that was.

"No need to dally," he said, "Let's chat while we walk."

Lisa grinned at him. "Good idea."

The Daggat and Anath followed Lisa and Pote through the field and out of the village. Daggat kept her in front of him, while the dwarf moved behind them. Pote had a scholarly air to him. Not a hunter or warrior. So why was he here? Daggat would expect someone strong or threatening, not this.

For the first few hours of their journey, Daggat was unusually quiet. He focused on watching the mortals. Lisa was brash and adventurous; that much was clear. But, she wielded no weapons nor seemed to be a magical sort. Often, she seemed frustrated when she needed to wait for Daggat or Pote to catch up. Both of them had short legs. But she never became angry or upset.

Rather, she seemed eager. Like a hound just let off its leash, but not given the command to rush. Daggat likened her mostly to Klaw. The aggressive, warrior type who wasn't interested in the subtle arts. But that didn't mean she was stupid. Her eyes were sharp, and she was quick to make decisions.

"Excuse me, goblin." Said Pote as they were hiking to who knows where.

"Name's Daggat. What can I do for you?"

"I was curious about your introduction. A friend of mine told me you were immortal? Is that correct?"

"I've got a few tricks. Can't reveal them all, can I?" Daggat said with a voice full of honey.

Pote smiled and laughed softly. "I cannot begrudge you that, I suppose."

Daggat's ear twitched. Was that the effect of his aura? Was this dwarf weaker than him? That could be a weakness to exploit if things ended up becoming violent.

A short while later, they all decided to take a break near a stream.

"Hey, human," Daggat called. "So, what's the deal with that guy last night?"

"Oh, Desmond? His daddy was some rich kid, so he thinks he's a big shot." Lisa said.

They stopped by a stream, which Lisa drank from.

"Let me guess, he wants Leofric's job?" Daggat said.

"Something like that. He wants to bring the village into Vocaunt's loving embrace." She said with sarcasm.

"What would that get him?"

"A family name, mayorship, wealth. Control, mostly. If things go the way he wants."

"And I take it you aren't so keen on that idea."

"Yeah, no thanks. We need to go back to how things were in the old days. Be a part of the forest and its folk, not harvest it."

Daggat cringed internally. Part of what he wanted from these villagers was to get workers to start up the lumber business again, under Alfred's guidance. That was likely off the table if Daggat sided with these folk.

"Why not just run him out?" Daggat asked. Lisa sagged.

"Because they outnumber us." She said, bitterly.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"They and us. Is it really a clean divide?"

"Pretty much. There aren't many who see things the way I or Leofric does. Mostly natives."

"So, Desmond and his cronies are outsiders? How did they end up outnumbering you in the first place?" Daggat picked a nearby flower and smelled it. They were popping up all over the place.

"Oh, I can answer that," Pote said.

He held out a hand. A tome suddenly materialized in his hand with a rush of air. It was similar to Hunter's torch summoning. Daggat licked his lips. He needed to get a copy of that.

"Let's see… I wrote that tale in here somewhere." Pote said while flipping through pages. "Ah, here it is. Over a century ago, this land was inhabited by native folk. Legends say they descended from the mountain paths and were trapped in the elderveil. Impassible, monster-filled mountain on one side. An ocean on the other. The only route out was guarded by a mighty dragon. Elyndris."

"Elly?" Anath stammered, speaking for the first time.

"No, Elyndris. A dragon whose heart was harder than her steel scales. As cold as her fire was hot. She still lives, as far as I know. But, she has moved her lair to the northeast, beyond the elderveil. At the time, though, she was a mere mountain wyvern."

"Fascinating. But, off topic." Daggat said.

"Ah, sorry. Well, the people of Harrowpine, the village, were these natives. After the Brinewar, well- Ok, the Brinewar is-"

"We know about the war extensively." Daggat cut him off.

"Ah, sorry. I just assumed… never mind. When the war ended, many of the humans were unable to return home due to the merebeast rebellion. In desperation, they turned to banditry or made their way into the forest."

Daggat made a note to learn more about this rebellion.

"Our folk let in displaced soldiers to help them deal with the bandits, both human and orc. A few dwarves settled, too." Lisa said. She had drawn a dagger and was cutting her nails.

"Indeed, that is where my family is from. Tensions were high in those early years. But the outsiders adapted to the Harrowpine way of life. Everything changed when Titanfell Manor fell."

"Oh, hey, that's my house." Daggat mused.

"Your… house?"

"He claims to be its lord," Lisa said.

"I am. I have paperwork that says so." Daggat said. "As you were saying?"

"Well, when Titanfell was condemned, there were several hundred people who had just spent everything to migrate to it. It was meant to be a foothold in the center of the forest. Untapped wealth from the trees and the treasures. So, adventurers and normal folk alike moved in. It was even granted a questing altar."

"So, you have a few hundred folk that just had their homes taken from them after spending everything they had just to get there? What did they do?" Daggat asked.

"Most flocked to the city. But those who were truly desperate made their way to the surrounding villages. Forty or so refugees made their way to Harrowpine."

"And those forty had kids, my generation. The soldiers' folk got along with the refugees. People like me were seen as relics."

"Leofric, too? What about that fat fellow?" Daggat asked.

"That's enough chat. We don't want to linger too long. A couple more hours, we should get close enough to its cave."

Daggat stood and stretched. It had been a pleasant hike so far. A very nice day. About now would be when the humans would approach the rest of his crew.

Daggat

True Name: Daggat Soul: Monster Genseed: gremlin [ 3 Str, 4 Dex, 3 Con, 2 Int, 3 Wil, 3 Cha; Regenerating Teeth, Rot Resistance; Tiny Size] Genbloom: goblin [ +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, +1 Int, +1 Wil; Scavenger; Small Size]

Monster Level: 10

Attributes (0/6): Strength: 11 Dexterity: 11 Constitution: 11 Intelligence: 20 Will: 10 Charm: 12

Feats: Encounter: True Angel Ability: Mighty Intellect Act: Fledgling Alchemist Knowledge: System Knowledge Act: Devotion [Layered feats] Act: Usurper Act: Touch of Death Act: Reborn by Fire

Skills(0/4): Alchemy: 1 [Source: Fledgling Alchemist] System Aptitude: 1 [Source: System Knowledge] System Assistant: 2 [Perk: Semi-sentience] Mind Codex: 1 [Synergy: Mental notes + Copy Tome] Party Leader: 1 [Source: Usurper]

Notable Natural Skills: Literacy: Apprentice

Biotraits (1/10): Base size: Small [Source: Goblin] Regenerating Teeth [Source: Gremlin] Enhanced Night Vision [Source: Gremlin] Disease Resistance [Mutations: Rot Resistance; Source: Gremlin] Temperature Resistant Skin [Synergy: Fire Resistant Skin + Cold Resistant Skin] Scavenger [Source: goblin] Death Sight [Source: Touch of Death] Increased Pain Tolerance Fire Core Beguiling Presence [Synergy: Hypnotic Gaze (Dominating Gaze, Mesmerizing Gaze) + Hypervocal Cords (Beguiling Voice)]

Transformations: Drakeheart Form: +2 strength +2 charm Extreme Temperature Resistant Scales [Synergy: Fireproof scales + Temperature resistant Skin] Fire breath

Night Stalker form: +2 strength +2 dexterity Dark vision [Night Vision Enhanced] Deepen Shadow

Regenerator form: Advanced Regeneration

Other: Variant: +10 Intelligence Skill potions used: 1/5

Notable Gear: Strange pure-white sword shard Spear of Bracing 2 Mihr Contracts

Anath

True Name: Anathema Soul: Monster/Mortal Genseed: Human [ 3 Str, 3 Dex, 3 Con, 3 Int, 3 Wil, 3 Cha; Standard Size]

Monster Level: 5 Berserker Level: 5 [+3 Str, Dex Con, -1 Int, Wil, Cha; Berserker's rage, Great Vitality]

Attributes [0/7]: Strength: 12 Dexterity: 11 Constitution: 13 Intelligence: 10 Will: 8 Charm: 7

Feats: Encounter: True Angel Knowledge: System Knowledge Act: Vile Concoction Act: Devotion [layered feats]

Skills(0/8): System Aptitude: 1 [Source: System Knowledge] System Assistant: 1 Skill Boosts: Survival (1) Savage Legs: 1 Berserker's Spirit: 1 [Synergy: Warrior's Spirit (Burst of Strength + Burst of Alacrity + Burst of Vitality) + Berserker's Rage] Purge Poison: 1 Great Vitality: 1 Blood Rhythm: 1

Notable Natural Skills: Survival: Apprentice Savagery: Apprentice

Biotraits [1/5]: Disease Resistance [Mutations: Rot Resistance; Source: Vile Concoction] Extra Limb (Arachnid), x4 [Source: Variant] Venomous Mandibles [Source: Variant] Multi-eye [Mutations: Magnified, Night Vision; Source: Variant] Hardened Chitin

Transformations: Night Stalker form: +2 strength +2 dexterity Claws Dark Vision

Notable Gear: Blade of the Dessert Flower

Other: Variant: Arachnid Traits

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